According to a new study, 22% of British men and 11% of women have secret bank accounts that their partners have no knowledge of. But this isn't new news: Last year, a U.S. woman sued Chase Bank for unintentionally notifying her husband of her private account, which held $800,000. (Oddly, in an "effort to save her marriage," she gave him $155,000.) This all begs the question: Should you be squirreling your cash away?

"I'm the breadwinner, so I feel like I should have some cash stashed away to use for myself: clothing, dinner out with friends, etc., without my husband passing judgment," says 31-year-old Sarah. The project manager says she feels the need to keep some money to herself, as her husband balances the couple's checkbook.

Thirty-five-year-old stay-at-home mom Christine says it offers her security: "When I was practicing law, I set up businesses and always told my clients that as we plan the marriage (the set up of the business), we have to plan for the divorce (the unraveling of the business). Not a pleasant thought, and not what I hope would happen to anyone, but something to logically consider. If something were to ever happen between my husband and I (which I hope would not be the case!), I want to have some money available to me so that I can act independently."

Christine, who handles the household finances, explains that she's been sitting on the account for a long time, adding money she receives from birthdays and Christmas.

"The way I look at it, if nothing ever happens between us, it will be a great vacation in the future," she adds.

What do you think? Is it smart—or just deceptively secretive—to keep a private bank account?